you guys know that if Landry Fields signed ANY offer sheet with Toronto, he couldn't be used in a sign and trade, right? So Toronto did not have to give him a big contract in order to sabotage the Knicks. Even if it was a contract that the Knicks were sure to match, it would serve the purpose.

Therefore, the fact that the contract was made a poison pill means Colangelo ACTUALLY WANTED TO SIGN FIELDS. It was not necessary to offer Fields that much money unless Colangelo did not want the Knicks to match. Therefore, the idea that we are 'stuck' with Fields is, from Colabgelo's perspective, false. He wanted Fields at that price regardless of whether Nash was coming.

Therefore Simmons, unsurprisingly, doesn't know what the f*ck he is talking about and is totally misreading the situation.

Seems to be a bit of a semantics game going on in this thread. Simmons is a sports journalist. But he is an editorialist as opposed to a reporter.

A reporter just presensts the information. An editorialist presents the same information while including their opinion.

So if the column reads:

a) The Toronto Raptors have traded a protected future first round pick to the Houston Rockets for Kyle Lowry - thats a report.

b) The Toronto Raptors have improved their team by trading a protected future first round pick to the Houston Rockets for Kyle Lowry - thats an editorial

There are very few columns that are presented here (or in general) that aren't editorials.

Toronto could have signed Fields to any offer sheet he'd be willing to sign. So the contract needed to be large enough for him to sign it AND sign it in short order so there was no way he'd be involved in the sign-and-trade. The poison pill was added to make it more difficult for NY to just sign him and keep him anyways (and then potentially use a different player in the deal)

So the idea/opinion that Fields contract was based on effecting NYs ability to get Nash is not necessarily false.

b) The Toronto Raptors have improved their team by trading a protected future first round pick to the Houston Rockets for Kyle Lowry - thats an editorial

c) The Toronto Raptors have improved their team by trading a protected future first round pick to the Houston Rockets for Kyle Lowry just like that guy in The Wire/Rocky IV/Boogie Nights - that's a Bill Simmons' editorial.

c) The Toronto Raptors have improved their team by trading a protected future first round pick to the Houston Rockets for Kyle Lowry just like that guy in The Wire/Rocky IV/Boogie Nights - that's a Bill Simmons' editorial.

"We only have one rule on this team. What is that rule? E.L.E. That's right's, E.L.E, and what does E.L.E. stand for? EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY. Right there up on the wall, because this isn't just a basketball team, this is a lifestyle. ~ Jackie Moon

Toronto could have signed Fields to any offer sheet he'd be willing to sign. So the contract needed to be large enough for him to sign it AND sign it in short order so there was no way he'd be involved in the sign-and-trade. The poison pill was added to make it more difficult for NY to just sign him and keep him anyways (and then potentially use a different player in the deal)

So the idea/opinion that Fields contract was based on effecting NYs ability to get Nash is not necessarily false.

It is false unless that is the smallest contract Fields would have agreed to sign. So, fine 'not necessarily' false. How about 'almost certainly' false?

Probably right, but how about it's "almost certainly false" that the Raptors are stuck with Fields? He's not the big impact 3 most fans wanted (and still want) but he's a good young player who will fit in and play hard and whose contract is not as outrageous as it's being made to seem.

And wouldn't he be a good fit in Memphis or Philly if either of their small forwards mysteriously disappeared? Though I'm not 100% sure how the CBA works with a newly signed player (I'm also just throwing shit out there).

Simmons is to journalism what professional wrestling is to professional sport.

Who cares if he's a journalist. Grantland is my homepage, every Simmons column/podcast is the first thing I read sports related every day. He's funny, he's engaging, he has interesting ideas and opinions, and is widely regarded as one of the most powerful behind the scenes players in sports.

I get that occasionally he bashes our team. He occasionally bashes every team, including scathing Celtics articles. So what?

1) Glad we can agree. For the record I am also fine with disagreeing.
2) There is a huge difference between Bill Simmons and Woj, Marc Stein, Zach Lowe, Howard Beck, David Aldridge, Ken Berger, to name just a few. Simmons is opinionated entertainment. The others listed report news and stories. If you can agree, great, if not, that is fine to.
3) I can safely say I've not read or listened to anywhere near 99% of his stuff over the last 5-10 years. I will take you at your word that I am incorrect. However, from the stuff I have read I routinely get the impression that the Raptors are an easy target to make fun of (which is fine because it is deserving, winning cures all, and I have no problem with bashing the Raptors on court 'success') and he perpetuates the notion of Raptor relocation. Even the original post had this line to end the quoted article: "We don't need to get rid of basketball in Canada just yet." I am willing to admit I could be a panzy ass, over sensitive, inferiority complex possessing Raptor fan but, on this matter, I feel confident in my opinion and am willing to disagree on the matter.

Who cares if he's a journalist. Grantland is my homepage, every Simmons column/podcast is the first thing I read sports related every day. He's funny, he's engaging, he has interesting ideas and opinions, and is widely regarded as one of the most powerful behind the scenes players in sports.

I get that occasionally he bashes our team. He occasionally bashes every team, including scathing Celtics articles. So what?

I'm glad you have an opinion that I can certainly respect.

Hopefully one day you can respect someone else's. Read the thread. This has been beaten to death. A number of posters have certainly provided insight that has changed my view a bit. Their contribution is certainly more valuable than versus, "My opinions and tastes incredible, what is wrong with you?"

He has several Canadians on staff at Grantland. They do running us vs them stuff. Its a thing.

Context is important, Matt, as you know.

Consider me educated.

I'm not a huge Grantland reader, only going by what I've seen over the years, not claiming to be 100% correct on the matter, just giving my opinion which has been slightly altered (key word, slightly) by other posters.

Glad I could help, at least a little. If it makes you feel any better, after my impeccable taste in websites has me go to Grantland, I visit Espn.com/nba, then head to Truehoop and make my way to Raptor's Republic

Glad I could help, at least a little. If it makes you feel any better, after my impeccable taste in websites has me go to Grantland, I visit Espn.com/nba, then head to Truehoop and make my way to Raptor's Republic

I'll be sure to check them out. I would recommend a little less ESPN affiliation though to keep your views balanced. HoopsHype.com offers more than TrueHoop in my opinion. Plus don't forget a daily "Toronto Raptor" search on Google News.

My apologies (sincerely) for jumping on you earlier. It was a bit harsh on my end. I was in a rush to get somewhere. Plus, continuing the idea of context, there had been many similar replies as to the one you had and it was a thoroughly discussed topic. Seems people either love or hate Bill Simmons.

If you want a real good laugh, go to the Blazer's Edge website (Also Truehoop affiliate, iirc) and check out their boards discussions of his "disses" on Portland.

Sh*t gets real!

I love ESPN. Unfortunately, most Canadian basketball sites make me nuts. (TSN, The Score, etc, though I do like TBJ, even if I listen to them through Grantland...lol)

Also, I love Truehoop. Not just good basketball stuff, but I like Henry's attitude, and quest for "truth". I generally end up reading all Raptors related news stories with the exception of Bleacher Report, they just aren't first stops for me.

If we ever have a team really worth spending a large chunk of time on, instead of a team/ownership group that makes my blood pressure rise just by watching them, I'll spend even more time on them. Hopefully one day.

I should mention Yahoo Sports, too. Adrian Wojnarowski is also excellent.

Here's another Raptor's blurb from Simmonsn on the lithuania/russia match:

Even if the Timofey Mozgov/Jonas Valanciunas center battle didn't bring back memories of Russell and Chamberlain, or even Dave Cowens and Tom Boerwinkle, I loved watching the guy who nearly derailed the Carmelo deal before realizing his meaninglessbackupbigmanian destiny in Denver (Mozgov) outplaying the top-five lottery pick that Toronto stashed away last summer (Valanciunas). On the bright side for Raptors fans …

1. Even if Valanciunas doesn't seem like he knows where to go or what to do, and even if his pick-and-roll defense could only be described as calamitous, he's only 20 AND he hustles. So there's hope.

Here's another Raptor's blurb from Simmonsn on the lithuania/russia match:

Even if the Timofey Mozgov/Jonas Valanciunas center battle didn't bring back memories of Russell and Chamberlain, or even Dave Cowens and Tom Boerwinkle, I loved watching the guy who nearly derailed the Carmelo deal before realizing his meaninglessbackupbigmanian destiny in Denver (Mozgov) outplaying the top-five lottery pick that Toronto stashed away last summer (Valanciunas). On the bright side for Raptors fans …

1. Even if Valanciunas doesn't seem like he knows where to go or what to do, and even if his pick-and-roll defense could only be described as calamitous, he's only 20 AND he hustles. So there's hope.

2. At least they ended up with Landry Fields instead of Steve Nash.

#facepalm

You see, this is the issue I have with Simmons. The dig is made without really looking objectively at the situation. He is doing it just to get a response..... which I have gone for hook, line, and sinker.

In their matchup on the court at the same time, JV had 7 points and 4 rebs while Mosgov had 9 points and 2 rebs. The AND-1 Mosgov had came on the first play back in to the game at the 4 minutes mark of the 3rd quarter after JV had sat since being subbed out at 3:42 of the first quarter. Mosgov is also 6 years older with 2 years NBA experience under his belt.

For a 20 year old who has no idea of where to go or what to do, 7 points and 9 rebounds in 15:44 is just incredible.

Now just imagine if he gets a supportive coach who is willing to mentor, instill confidence, and play through a mistake or two *GASP!*